Thomas v Romeo Lockleys Asset Partnership (No 3)

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Thomas v Romeo Lockleys Asset Partnership (No 3) [2022] FCA 1455

File numbers:

SAD 105 of 2020
SAD 169 of 2020

Judgment of:

CHARLESWORTH J

Date of judgment:

15 November 2022

Date of publication of reasons:

1 December 2022

Catchwords:

REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS – Administrator of distribution scheme appointed by the Court – Administrator granted liberty to apply – Administrator seeking orders premised on an allegation that the respondents are in breach of approved settlement agreement – allegation of breach not established – Administrator asking the Court to substitute the timeframe for payments to Group Members – whether it is just to make orders setting timeframes different to those agreed between the parties – role of Administrator is to administer the Deed in accordance with its terms, not to agitate for more beneficial terms for Group Members

Legislation:

Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 33V

Cases cited:

Thomas v Romeo Lockleys Asset Partnership [2022] FCA 1106

Thomas v Romeo Lockleys Asset Partnership (No 2) [2022] FCA 1276

Division:

Fair Work Division

Registry:

South Australia

National Practice Area:

Employment and Industrial Relations

Number of paragraphs:

70

Date of hearing:

15 November 2022

SAD 105 of 2020

Counsel for the Applicant:

Mr R Markham

Solicitor for the Applicant:

Adero Law

Counsel for the Respondents:

Mr T Duggan KC

Solicitor for the Respondents:

Crawford Legal

Counsel for Adero Law:

The non-party Adero Law appeared by its representative Mr R Markham

SAD 169 of 2020

Counsel for the Applicant:

Mr R Markham

Solicitor for the Applicant:

Adero Law

Counsel for the Respondents:

Mr T Duggan KC

Solicitor for the Respondents:

Crawford Legal

Counsel for Adero Law:

The non-party Adero Law appeared by its representative Mr R Markham

ORDERS

SAD 105 of 2020

BETWEEN:

CHRISTOPHER PETER THOMAS

Applicant

AND:

ROMEO LOCKLEYS ASSET PARTNERSHIP, BEING THE PARTNERSHIP OPERATED BY LOCKLEYS FOODLAND PTY LTD AND ROMEO LOCKLEYS HOLDINGS PTY LTD (ABN 12 244 067 815)

First Respondent

LOCKLEYS FOODLAND PTY LTD (ACN 108 166 276)

Second Respondent

ROMEO LOCKLEYS HOLDINGS PTY LTD (ACN 108 157 928)

Third Respondent

SAD 169 of 2020

BETWEEN:

MARTIN SHINA

Applicant

AND:

“ROMEO NSW PARTNERSHIP” BEING THE PARTNERSHIP OPERATED BY ROMEO NSW INVESTMENTS PTY LTD AND THE TRUSTEE FOR ROMEO NSW HOLDING TRUST (ABN 11 807 080 683)

First Respondent

ROMEO NSW INVESTMENTS PTY LTD (ACN 156 756 544)
Second Respondent

ROMEO NSW HOLDINGS PTY LTD (ACN 156 757 809)

Third Respondent

ORDER MADE BY:	CHARLESWORTH J
DATE OF ORDER:	15 NOVEMBER 2022

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The Administrator’s application for orders in terms of the short minutes of order

submitted to the Court on 4 November 2022 is dismissed.

Note:   Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
(Revised from the transcript)

CHARLESWORTH J

1. On 19 September 2022, the Court made orders pursuant to s 33V(1) of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) approving the settlement of these two representative proceedings. The terms…